1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a device for covering a hearing aid housing with a housing cover that comprises an opening for introducing a battery and an electronics module and with a battery compartment that is pivotably attached to the housing cover using a connector element for the acceptance of a battery. In particular, the present invention is directed to the locking system of the battery compartment.
2. Description of the Related Art
In-the-ear hearing aids (ITE) have a housing that is individually matched to the auditory canal of the hearing aid user. A housing cover is applied onto the housing at the side facing away from the tympanum. This housing cover is usually mounted in a fixed manner on the housing. For loading the hearing aid with a battery, the hearing aid cover comprises a specific battery compartment that is pivotably attached to the housing cover. Such a battery compartment is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,470. When removing the battery from the hearing aid, the battery compartment is swiveled open from the housing cover, so that the battery is conducted to the outside for removal.
Various embodiments of battery compartments, however, are also known in behind-the-ear hearing aids (BTE). For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,655 discloses a cover for a battery compartment that is pivotably seated in the housing of the BTE device using a wire spring. The wire spring serves for simple assembly and to assure a certain ruggedness of the articulation of the battery cover.
An ITE device usually comprises integrated electronics that is equipped with an amplifier, a microphone and further components. Over and above this, ITE devices are available that have modular electronics assemblies. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,943 discloses such a module. For removing the module, however, this patent discloses the entire housing cover being swiveled open.
Module inserts are also known that are locked to the housing cover with springs or with snap-in noses that are additionally injection-applied to the module.